Agenda item

The Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change to attend to outline her vision on carbon neutral/carbon zero development in general.

It was reported that the Executive Member for Environment and Climate change was unable to attend the meeting. She had provided the Chair with a letter detailing her view on York Central net zero ambitions, which had been circulated to the committee prior to the meeting. The Chair asked Members whether they would like to consider the item at the meeting and submit questions in writing to her, or delay the agenda item to a future meeting. A number of views were expressed. It was agreed that with the permission of the Executive Member, the letter would be published online with the meeting papers. The Chair noted that it was a legal function for the Executive Member to attend the meeting and the Committee could work with her on dates. He added that scrutiny meetings were a crucial part of her role as Executive Member. It was noted that question that a Member would have liked to have asked was that bearing in mind the council was responsible for 4% of carbon emissions in the city, what was the Executive Member’s plan to engage with business, the public and partners to achieve the remaining 96%.

The Director of Housing, Economy and Regeneration, advised that she would not be able to respond to climate change scrutiny issues but could take questions on York Central. She was asked and confirmed that she was asked and confirmed that she was happy to talk about engagement. In regard to York Central she noted collective ambition for the site, masterplan, and detailed planning permission, which had been against the grain of a significant number of challenges regarding the climate change agenda and commitment from the council to commit to a carbon zero [check]

The Director of Housing, Economy and Regeneration explained that the outline planning permission  gave the parameters, context and minimum standards  and NPPF standards with buildings to be built to BREAMM standards. She added that council developed housing would be developed to be carbon zero. She noted that the council would be working with the landowners of the site and was in the early stages of securing a tenant for the site. She explained that work had been undertaken on a zero energy district heating solution study and she explained that if there was one district heating network, this would make it easier to decarbonise once.

Regarding the carbon footprint of York Central, transport sat at the sat at the heart of the public transport infrastructure in York and the highway put into York Central was required by the site. She added that the site had a large amount of cycle and pedestrian provision and she explained the location of them on the site.

In response to Member questions, the Director of Housing, Economy and Regeneration explained that:

·         Since the study on district heating had been undertaken, ground source heat pumps had developed.

·         It was easier to install heating technology at an earlier stage rather than retrofit

·         The Planning Committee would be considering the National Railway Museum refit.

[At this point in the meeting Cllr Pearson noted he worked for the Rail Operator involved with the York Station frontage.

·         The public realm would be station square and museum square and public realm would be included as part of the commercial space. Biodiversity would be built into this.

·         Traffic modelling was undertaken as part of the outline planning permission application. The application included through traffic with the expectation of low car usage.

·         The space standards for homes were set out in the design guide.

Resolved: That the plans for carbon neutral/carbon zero for York Central be noted.

Reason: In order to be updated on the plans for carbon neutral/carbon zero for York Central be noted.